Device for transporting slabs in rolling mills

ABSTRACT

Transporting means for transporting slabs in rolling mills, especially wide strip rolling mills, from the slab storage place to the pusher furnaces, which includes slab packet conveying means extending parallel to the axes of the pusher furnaces and at a substantially right angle to the direction of movement of the furnace roller conveyor means.

United States Patent Fabian et al. 1 Mar. 14, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTlNG SLABS IN ROLLING MILLS [56] References Cited [72] Inventors: Wolfgang Fabian; Theodor Sevenich; UNITED STATES PATENTS Klaus Kuhn, all of Dortmund, Germany 3,490,621 l/1970 Cook ..214/23 [731 Asslgnw Akflengeseilschafl, Dortmund, 727,942 5/1903 Hebb ..214/2s Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 13, 1970 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Att --W B 21 Appl. N0.: 2,466 alter [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Applimmn Priomy Data Transporting means for transporting slabs in rolling mills, Jan. 15, 1969 Germany ..P 19 01 851.0 especially wide strip rolling mills, from the slab storage place to the pusher furnaces, which includes slab packet conveying [52] US. Cl ..214/25, 198/34, 198/96, ans extending parallel to the axes of the pusher furnaces 198/101, 193/105 and at a substantially right angle to the direction of movement [5 Int. of the furnace roller conveyor means [58] FieldofSearch ..214/18R,21,23,25; 198/34,

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SHEET 2 BF 3 i a 3 Q m H N h PAIENTEDMAR 14 m2 sum 3 [IF 3 mam IEMI/ DEVICE FOR TRANSPOR'IING SLABS IN ROLLING MILLS The present invention relates to a device for transporting the slabs in rolling mills, especially in wide strip rolling mills, from the storage place of the slabs to the pusher furnaces while forming an intermediate storage place on the slab package conveyor.

It is well known in rolling mills, for instance in wide strip rolling mills, to withdraw slab packages by means of a crane from a slab supply and to deposite the slab packages alternately onto two separating tables adapted to be lifted and lowered which are arranged adjacent a furnace roll table. By means of transfer conveyors, the slabs are from the separating tables or boards successively and individually pushed onto the furnace roll table or conveyor and by means of the latter are transported in front of the charging opening of the pusher furnace. With this type of charging of the pusher furnaces, delays are often encountered with respect to the feeding of the slabs because the slab supply on the separating tables is too low to be able to compensate for the differently long travelling times of the cranes in the slab storage station.

In order to assure a uniform charging of the pusher furnaces, it has therefore been suggested to provide intermediate storage stations in the vicinity of the separating tables. From these intermediate storage stations the separating tables are charged by means of a special transfer crane. Such an arrangement, however, requires a considerable storing surface in the slab storage station in view of the intermediate storage stations. Furthermore, the entire crane runway in the slab storage station has to be designed for an additional slab transporting crane.

In other rolling mills slab transporting roller tables or conveyors have been arranged in front of the separating tables, and a supply of slab packages is held in readiness on said roller tables or conveyors. Since with these package roller tables or conveyors it is possible to charge merely one separating table, considerable intervals occur between the packages when charging the pusher furnaces. These intervals are due to the lowering of the separating table and due to the transfer of a slab package from the roller conveyor to the separating table. Moreover, package roller tables or conveyors are expensive and space consuming inasmuch as they must extend parallel to the furnace roller table or conveyor but must be offset relative thereto in the longitudinal direction of the halls. With this arrangement of the slab transport, there is also a second slab hall necessary.

According to a further heretofore known arrangement for the transport of slabs, the slabs are individually deposited upon the furnace roller conveyor which extends in the longitudinal direction through the entire slab storage place. This type of slab transport requires a precisely controlled pre-piling up of the slabs in the slab storage station over a longer period of time, and in view of the individual transfer also requires an increased crane operation. A further drawback consists in that errors in the sequence of the slabs may easily occur because a plurality of cranes deposit the slabs simultaneously at different places of the roller conveyor.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for the transport of slabs of the above mentioned type which will overcome the above outlined drawbacks and which will make it possible in intervals of a few seconds only and at a minimum of investment costs, space and crane work to charge the slabs onto the furnace roller conveyor.

It is a further object of this invention to assure the maintaining of the prescribed sequence in which the slabs are to be rolled.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a first slab conveying system according to the invention.

FIG. 2 represents a longitudinal section through the slab conveyor according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 represents a top view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the slab conveyor according to FIG. 3.

The problem underlying the present invention has been solved in conformity with the present invention by arranging the slab package conveyor parallel to the axes of the pusher furnace and perpendicularly with regard to the direction of the furnace roller conveyor. Advantageously, between the furnace roller conveyor and the slab package conveyor there is arranged parallel to the furnace roller conveyor a transfer roller table, and at both sides of said transfer roller table there is a separating table cooperating with a transfer conveyor and a displaceable counter bearing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the t slab package conveyor is formed by a chain conveyor, and

below the upper section of said chain conveyor there is on a runway arranged a movable transfer carriage equipped with a lifting device. Advantageously, the transfer carriage is equipped with a distance feeler which limits the driving movement of the transfer carriage, while between the furnace roller conveyor and the transfer carriage there is provided a limit switch limiting the traveling movement of the chains of the conveyor. The transfer roller conveyor on the runway is displaceable advantageously in the direction of the axes'of its rollers and is also adapted to be lifted and lowered. Advantageously, the slab package conveyor is in the form of a rocker bar type conveyor having lifting bars between which and adjacent to which there are arranged evenly spaced elevations which are spring-supported.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the arrangement shown therein comprises pusher furnaces 1 of a rolling mill. In front of said pusher furnaces 1 there is provided a furnace roller conveyor 2 by means of which the slabs to be heated to rolling temperature are conveyed in front of the charging openings In. From the furnace roller conveyor 2 the slabs are pushed by slab pushers 3 into the respective pusher furnace 1.

In a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the furnace roller conveyor 2 and approximately at the start thereof there is provided a slab conveyor in the form of a chain conveyor 4 which is passed below the roller conveyor 2. The chain conveyor 4 is driven by a motor 4a with a transmission 4b. Below the upper section of the chain conveyor 4 and displaceable on a separate track 5 (see FIG. 2) there is provided a displaceable transfer carriage 6 which comprises a lifting device 7 and a distance feeler 8 facing toward the furnace roller conveyor 2. Between the conveyor 2 and the chain conveyor 4 there is provided a transfer roller conveyor 9 which is adapted to be lifted and lowered and which is movable on the track 5 of the transfer carriage 6. Between the conveyors 2 and 9 there is arranged a limit switch 10.

At both sides of the roller conveyor 9 the conveying rollers of which are located parallel to the rollers of the furnace roller conveyor 2 there is provided slab unstacking or separating means which include one separating table 11 each which is adapted to be lifted and lowered and which cooperates on one hand with the transfer roller conveyor 9 and on the other hand with a transfer conveyor 12 and a counter bearing or abutment 13 which is displaceable in any suitable manner.

The device according to the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 operates in the following manner: A slab package 15 consisting for instance of four slabs, is by means of a slab crane withdrawn from the slab storage station 14 and deposited upon a transfer carriage 6. The transfer carriage 6 will with the slab package 15 move toward the slab package 16 previously deposited upon the chain conveyor 4 so that a certain distance remains therebetween which distance is determined by the distance feeler 8. The lifting device 7 of the transfer carriage 6 is lowered, and the slab package 15 is deposited upon the chain conveyor 4 whereupon the transfer carriage 6 moves back by a distance determined by the maximum slab width, and in this position waits for the next slab package. This cycle is repeated independently of the movement of the chain conveyor until the latter has been completely charged with slab packages. The movement of the chain conveyor 4 is stopped when the edge A of that slab package which is the first on the chain conveyor 4 pushes against the limit switch arranged behind the transfer roller conveyor 9 (see FIG. 2).

After the chain conveyor 4 has been stopped, the roller conveyor 9 is retracted to such an extent that the roller conveyor edge B does not protrude beyond the slab edge C, and the subsequent package will not accidentally be lifted. Thereupon the transfer roller conveyor 9 is lifted to such an extent that the slab package no longer rests on the chains.

If one of the two separating tables 11 is empty, the slab package is moved from the roller conveyor 9 to the separating table 11 which is at substantially the same level. From the separating table 11 the individual slabs of the slab package are by means of the transfer member 12 and the counter bearing 13 pushed onto the roller conveyor 2. The said counter bearing 13 will during the movement of the slabs on the roller conveyor 2 support the remaining slab packages so that only one slab at a time will be delivered to the furnace roller conveyor.

According to the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the slab conveyor is designed in the form of a lifting or rocker bar type conveyor 17. The slab packages 18 will with this conveyor be placed upon spring-supported receiving elevations 20, said elevations being equally spaced from each other. After the transfer roller conveyor 21 has become empty, all slab packages are lifted off simultaneously from the rocker bar and in the thus lifted condition are conveyed by the distance between two adjacent elevations and are subsequently deposited upon the next row of elevations. To this end, the rocker bar track 22 is mounted on lifting cylinders 23. The rocker bars 19 are connected to driving cylinders 24.

That slab package which is closest to the transfer roller conveyor 21 is with this transporting device transferred to the roller conveyor 21. From here it is withdrawn by a separating table 1] moved into its lower end position.

In view of the fact that the feeding stroke of the driving cylinder 4 remains the same independently of the width of the slabs, it will be appreciated that after having been transferred from roller conveyor 21, the slab package will always be located centrally on the separating table 11. In order to assure the separation, prior to the elevation of the table 11, a counter bearing 13 arranged below the furnace roller conveyor 2 is moved toward the latter during the transfer operation. Counter bearing 13 is adapted to support the slab package during the transfer operation.

The lifting movement of the table 11 and the withdrawal operation itself will be effected in the same manner as described in connection with FlGS. l and 2.

As will be seen from the above, the present invention has the distinct advantage that over a longer period of time and in very short time intervals it is possible at a minimum of costs, space and crane work to feed the slabs onto the furnace roller conveyor. In this connection, the predetermined sequence can be maintained at which the slabs are to be rolled following their heating in the pusher furnace. Furthermore, waiting or idling periods of the transporting cranes, if they have short tracks or are to be moved over short sections, will likewise be avoided, and also idling periods of the pusher furnaces and thus idling periods of the mill train when the slab transporting crances have to carry out relatively long travelling movements.

it is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in combination with pusher furnaces and pushers for pushing slabs into said furnaces, transporting means for quickly transporting slabs in rolling mills from a slab storage place to said pusher furnaces in minimum space, which includes; furnace roller conveyor means havingthe lon 'tudinal extension thereof directed substantially at a right an e to the direction in which the slabs are to be pushed into said furnaces by said pushers, and slab packets conveying means having the longitudinal extension thereof directed substantially perpendicularly with regard to said furnace roller conveyor means and substantially parallel with regard to the pushing direction of said pushers, and transfer roller conveying means interposed between said slab packets conveying means and said furnace roller conveying means and extending substantially parallel to said furnace conveying means, and slab separating means at each end of said transfer roller conveying means to receive a slab packet from said transfer roller conveying means and deliver said slabs individually one at a time to said furnace roller conveying means.

2. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said slab packets conveying means forms a substantially horizontally extending chain conveyor, and which includes runway means arranged below the upper section of said chain conveyor, and transfer carriage means displaceable on said runway means and comprising lifting means for lifting slabs placed on said carriage means and depositing said lifted slabs onto said slab packets conveying means.

3. An arrangement in combination according to claim 2, in which said transfer carriage means is provided with a distance feeler.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, which includes said transfer roller conveying means interposed between said slab packets conveying means and said furnace roller conveying means being displaceable on said runway means, and lifting means associated with said transfer roller conveying means for selectively lifting and lowering the same.

5. An arrangement in combination according to claim 4, which includes limit switch means interposed between said furnace roller conveying means and said transfer roller conveying means.

6. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said slab packets conveying means is formed by lifting beam conveying means comprising substantially parallel lifting beams spaced from each other in transverse direction thereof, said lifting beam conveying means also including cushioned elevated means for receiving and supporting slab packets.

7. In the combination claimed in claim 1, in which said slab separating means includes separating table means at the end of said transfer roller conveying means and pushers for moving one slab at a time from said slab packet on to said furnace roller conveying means.

8. An arrangement in combination according to claim 7, which includes displaceable supporting means associated with said separating table means for supporting slabs against lateral movement while a single slab is transferred from said separating table means to said furnace roller conveyor means. 

1. In combination with pusher furnaces and pushers for pushing slabs into said furnaces, transporting means for quickly transporting slabs in rolling mills from a slab storage place to said pusher furnaces in minimum space, which includes: furnace roller conveyor means having the longitudinal extension thereof directed substantially at a right angle to the direction in which the slabs are to be pushed into said furnaces by said pushers, and slab packets conveying means having the longitudinal extension thereof directed substantially perpendicularly with regard to said furnace roller conveyor means and substantially parallel with regard to the pushing direction of said pushers, and transfer roller conveying means interposed between said slab packets conveying means and said furnace roller conveying means and extending substantially parallel to said furnace conveying means, and slab separating means at each end of said transfer roller conveying means to receive a slab packet from said transfer roller conveying means and deliver said slabs individually one at a time to said furnace roller conveying means.
 2. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said slab packets conveying means forms a substantially horizontally extending chain conveyor, and which includes runway means arranged below the upper section of said chain conveyor, and transfer carriage means displaceable on said runway means and comprising lifting means for lifting slabs placed on said carriage means and depositing said lifted slabs onto said slab packets conveying means.
 3. An arrangement in combination according to claim 2, in which said transfer carriage means is provided with a distance feeler.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 2, which includes said transfer roller conveying means interposed between said slab packets conveying means and said furnace roller conveying means being displaceable on said runway means, and lifting means associated with said transfer roller conveying means for selectively lifting and lowering the same.
 5. An arrangement in combination according to claim 4, which includes limit switch means interposed between said furnace roller conveying means and said transfer roller conveying means.
 6. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said slab packets conveying means is formed by lifting beam conveying means comprising substantially parallel lifting beams spaced from each other in transverse direction thereof, said lifting beam conveying means also including cushioned elevated means for receiving and supporting slab packets.
 7. In the combination claimed in claim 1, in which said slab separating means includes separating table means at the end of said transfer roller coNveying means and pushers for moving one slab at a time from said slab packet on to said furnace roller conveying means.
 8. An arrangement in combination according to claim 7, which includes displaceable supporting means associated with said separating table means for supporting slabs against lateral movement while a single slab is transferred from said separating table means to said furnace roller conveyor means. 